Research Overview

My research is on the development of blood stage malaria vaccines; and studies on the use of different vaccine adjuvants for the malaria vaccines. Specifically, we focus on the design of vaccines based on the Merozoite Surface Protein 1 (MSP1) by defining critical T and B epitopes of the molecule. We also evaluate the use of a variety of immunological adjuvants to enhance vaccine potency and at the same time define the critical pathway for adjuvants’ mode of action. Our approaches also study the use of nanoparticle platforms for antigen delivery.

Beside research, I am also the director of a biomedical sciences research training for high school and college bound students (STEP-UP Program, http://stepup.niddk.nih.gov), supported by NIDDK/NIH. The project recruits minority and disadvantage students from the Pacific Regions, Alaska and Puerto Rico into university/college research laboratories to engage in health related research under the mentorships of university faculty.